Arduino Watch Build Instructions

The Arduino Watch provides augmented sensing of temperature and range, 16-bit color drawing program, Breakout game, and also tells the time in your choice of digital, binary, or analog.  Additional sensors, devices, and programs are easy to add as any standard Arduino.

The source code can be downloaded from the google code page, code.google.com/p/arduino-watch.

Updates and news on the Arduino Watch can be found at OptimizedForce.com

This is a video that gives an overview of what the Arduino Watch can do.

Step 1 The Materials

The materials used in making the watch are

Electronics
1 Arduino Mini Pro 328 - 3.3V/8MHz available at SparkFun
1 FTDI Basic Breakout (if you don't have one) available at SparkFun
1 4D Systems OLED Module 1.5" (128x128 pixels) available at SparkFun
1 Blackberry Trackballer Breakout available at SparkFun (I'm sensing a theme of the supplier)
1 3.7V 1000mAh Li-Polymer battery available at SparkFun
1 LiPoly Fast Charger available at SparkFun
1 DS1307 Real-time clock available at Digi-Key
1 Crystal 32kHz available at SparkFun

Nuts and Bolts available at local hardware stores
2 #4 bolts 3/8" long
2 #4 bolts 1/4" long
4 #4 bolts 3/4" long
8 #4 nuts
(for the nuts and bolts I found the brass ones at Ace and the zinc ones at Home Depot)

Watch Band
~13" x 1 5/8" leather band for the outer layer (I used a wide leather belt)
~8" x 1 7/8" elastic band for the inner layer (I used another belt)

Misc
1/4" OD copper tube available at Home Depot
1/2" thick piece of wood for screen case, I usually use poplar wood.
6 right angle header pins available at MarVac
1 Connector Housing 6 pin housing (if you can find a 5 pin housing get that) available at MarVac
2 Connector Housings 1 pin housing
7 female pins available at MarVac
1 IDE ribbon cable (dig it out of that pile of cables you never use)


Alternate parts
1 4D Systems OLED Module 0.96" (96x64 pixels) available at SparkFun will also work since I originally programmed the watch for that display until I accidentally broke mine and everyone was out of stock so I had to move to the next size up.
1 3.7V 900mAh Li-Polymer battery available at SparkFun smaller cheaper battery almost as much power.
1 Real-time clock module available at SparkFun or at RobotShop these modules would replace the real-time clock chip and the 32kHz crystal and give you a backup battery.

Comments

[hoser1000]

Also, the DS1338 from Maxim IC is a drop in replacement for this part (DS1307) that will run at 3.3V. Samples are available directly from Maxim.

[hoser1000]

Nice project and I just ordered the parts to try this on my own but when I was reading over your statement regarding the RTC you say: "If the clock doesn't run try power cycling and/or use the reset button on the Arduino. Sometimes it takes a couple cycles to the the real-time clock going". How is the clock functioning at all when the power requirements for the DS1307are 4.5V - 5.5V? I assume there is some flexibility in these specifications but I cannot see it being reliable as the 3.7V Battery decreases over time. Have you had issues with this?

[protobug]

hi i was wondering what would it take to add bluetooth capability to this or if thats even possible im about to order the parts and would love to just order any bluetooth parts along with it thanks!!!

[Lyron]

how would i go about adapting the code for a psp 1000 joystick and 1 button to click?

(the joystick outputs 2 analog values 0-255 for x and y and the button is just connected to a digital input)

[mikesnyd]

Is there a way to put an MP3 player and headphone jack on this?

[mitchjorg]

Question, do you think it would be hard or easy for someone with no programming knowledge to build one of these? Would appreicate an answer. p.s. amazing job on the watch!!

[The nerdling]

i think yes if you are good at making things becaus with the programming all you need to do is copy the code then paste it into the uploader then upload it to your arduino

[Matthew Garten]

On the software step I have links to the software for the watch, you can run it as is or modify it to suit your needs. Check it out and see. The building part of the watch is soldering, leather cutting, and carving out a case for the screen.

[The nerdling]

soooooooooooooooooooooooooo cooooooooooooooooooooollllllllllllll!!!!!!!!!!

[MaxCrave]

Can someone post links to the header pins (all), the connector Housings, and the female pins? I cant seem to find all that i need...

[dragon warrior]

it is the best project ever cool

[EricaAnnihilate]

This watch looks absolutely amazing, unfortunately I'm not so great with building anything other than computers. The smaller it is, the worse it comes out. Someone should make one and put it up on ebay, I'm sure it will sell really fast. I know I would buy it. If anyone wouldn't mind making one and me throwing in extra for labor, let me know.

[mikebook]

I have looking for an excuse to get an Arduino to play around with, and this may be the one. Absolutely awesome, and I can't wait until I save up enough to get the parts.

[Dr.Earl Insanity]

what other software could one put on this?

I would be interested in buying one depending on your answer

[Matthew Garten]

Any software for the Arduino can be run on the watch since it is using an Arduino Mini Pro as the brains of the watch.

[khayel]

im in love of hte steampunk arduino <3 XDD i wish could make one for me .... but im a noob on this T.T i wish could learn how to if some one wants to teach me D: and have the patetient to do it :3 or.....dude god of arduino watchs :P could you tell me how it cost one of those wonder things? i really appreciate it.

[joe57005]

if you're not using sleep mode on the arduino, you could ditch the rtc and measure the time using just the arduino and save some space in the watch. conversely, if you keep the rtc, you can put the arduino in sleep mode until a button is pressed. (use an interrupt) if you use the battery backed rtc from sparkfun, you could completely disconnect the lipo battery when not in active use and make it last for months. (the rtc will last 9 years without power)

[Matthew Garten]

In the software (step 2) it has a sleep mode (the "Shut Down" at the bottom), to get out of sleep mode and turn it back you press the trackball button. The RTC is ready for a backup battery and if you use a RTC board most of them have a backup battery.

[joe57005]

i couldn't find the sleep function in the code, what line does it start?

[joe57005]

if the sleep mode is the code starting at line 1035, it's not a true sleep mode, which is why i didn't initially recognize it as such. it may power down the trackball and oled, but the arduino is still going, in a loop checking for a button press, still sucking power. the functions in avr/power.h will actually shut off parts of the arduino itself, you can save a lot of power by disabling the adc, spi, and timers. there's some good example code on http://www.arduino.cc/playground/Learning/ArduinoSleepCode i don't have the hardware to test this (yet) but: if {y_pos > item1_corner_y - 1) //shutdown crossline {detachIntrerrupt(1); //disconnect button for power down uoled.SetPowerState(0); //power down oled //begin arduino power down attachInterrupt(1, wakeup, FALLING); //interrupt to wake up set_sleep_mode(SLEEP_MODE_PWR_DOWN); // set powersaving mode sleep_enable(); //little safety put in place, not really necessary, imo sleep_mode(); //put arduino to sleep //code continues here on interrupt(1) detachInterrupt(1); attchInterrupt(1, click, FALLING); // Reattach the interrupt uoled.SetPowerState(1); //Power up the oled x_pos = 48; // reset cursor so it doesn't automatic shutdown again y_pos = 32;} void wakeup() {//dummy, as long as code here is going, everything else, even clocks and, //serial are halted, so it's best not to do anything in here } i don't have the parts for a watch (yet), but i'll test this on a duemilanove board.

[Matthew Garten]

Excellent, I had not seen the power.h functions so I was referring to the turning off the OLED as the sleep mode. I'll have to try that out, thanks!

[renavspainatal]

Hello, I really enjoyed seeing your watch, congratulations! I'm planning making one based on this one but I cannot understand everything in the xls file. Actually I don't understand wich pin have to be soldered to the component's pin. I can't recognize the different components and the respective pin in the arduino mini. Somebody could help me understanding the excel file please? Thank you

[renavspainatal]

Ok...now that I saw the datasheet of the trackball and the LCD I started to realize which pin has to be soledered to which one.

[Ghost Wolf]

lol

[magnetobob]

Personally I think this watch is amazing and am planning to build one (as my old one broke and found this) just would like to ask a few questions as I’m new to Arduino and the uses of small electronics. 1. Does the breakout board have to be continuously connected? 2. Where does the battery connect to the watch? Thank you in advance (I have a plan to make a carbon fibre case for my watch)

[rj44319]

When I built the watch, I used break out boards for the RTC and the track ball.... i am not sure what you mean continually connected? the RTC and the trackball need to be connected to keep time and to wake up the watch when needed... the battery connects to the FTDI connector....(Vcc and GND)

[vmspionage]

I absolutely love this. I have a few nanos at home myself... can't wait to make my own! I just wish that OLED wasn't so expensive, but the end result is certainly worth it. Good work!

[vmspionage]

Ah crap, I broke my 4d 128x128 1.5" the other day. It had a dead line so I tried to fix it by messing with the ribbon cable and I screwed it up even worse. I was on the 4D forum and apparently this is a common defect with the 1.5" version. No problem cause I've got a replacement coming in the mail today (the smaller .96" one). Good news is I got your software working with no problem, and even started on some mods for my application. I was wondering why you had the "shut down" option until I started reading up on the oled - apparently they don't like having power removed all willy-nilly. Oops. I'll be sure to remember that with my new one. Fun stuff, thanks again for the instructable! =)

[Matthew Garten]

I had a .96" and broke it and then could only get the 1.5" at the time as a replacement. Much of the software I wrote with the .96" in mind so there are only a few variables to change to make it run on the smaller screen. Let me know if you have any question about getting it running and post pictures when you do!

[vmspionage]

I got the smaller screen in the mail Friday and had no problem getting your software to work.  Of course there was a wrapping problem due to the reduced resolution but that was easily solved.  I had a few more problems however and decided to go another direction with this.

First one was that I'm not happy with the smaller size and resolution so I ordered yet another 4D screen, this time the 1.7" version.

The second problem is with the Arduino, and I kind of expected this.  The 32k of memory just doesn't give me enough space for all the functionality I would like to add to my project, so I ordered a mbed as well (512k program space, 100mhz =) ).  Not only did all the necessary libraries take up a ton of memory on the Arduino but also the annoyances of having limited serial and I2C.  I plan on connecting at least one second serial device (probably an xBee) and that wouldn't be possible on an Arduino without having to rely on the buggy SoftwareSerial library.

I did write a pretty cool cursor routine for the Arduino platform that will even work on graphic backgrounds (it snapshots the 8x8 section under the cursor before it draws the bitmap so it can erase it before moving) that seems to work well, however I wrote it stand-alone and haven't yet integrated it into your project.  Let me know if you'd like that code and I'll post it.  I think it would be a cool addition to the main menu.  Also I'm using a configurable speed (pixels moved per trackball bit cycle) and increasing that to 2 or 3 seems to make the interface a lot smoother.  I just hate having to scroll 4-5 times to move from corner to corner.

I'll keep you updated... I have a ton of parts in the mail which should make for a busy weekend.

[vmspionage]

Got some parts in today and made the band and prototype display bracket.  It's still powered by an Arduino (my mbed is on backorder), but I did get one of these in the mail

http://www.mouser.com/connectonenano/?utm_source=home&utm_medium=new+products&utm_campaign=185883736

It's starting to become obvious that space is going to be limited, so I may have to go 2 "layers", under and over the band.  We'll see.

[Matthew Garten]

Nice job! I like that you have the trackball LED powered. You may want to add a material layer between the skin and the components for a more comfortable fit. I'd be interested in seeing the cursor code you mentioned, so go ahead and post it for the community to take a look. Keep up the good work!

[vmspionage]

Thanks, I'll post the cursor code and updated pics later on. I haven't worked on the software at all but last weekend I made a fully enclosed metal case for the screen and another for the battery out of sheet aluminum. I'm still not sure if I'm happy with the design though - I'm using the screw holes on the OLED module which adds another ~12mm or so to the width. I'm thinking about chopping them off and securing it with hot glue in my second revision to reduce the overall size. I'm switching materials as well from aluminum to brass sheet metal.

[wchill]

How does this watch charge? While you have the LiPoly Fast Charger in your BOM, I don't see a connection for the charger to attach to the battery.

[Matthew Garten]

I added two wires and two header pins to the charger to allow it to connect with the battery, and then you are good to go.

[wchill]

Well, the LiPoly fast charger doesn't provide an output to power the watch while the battery is charging. Doesn't that mean you'd have to reset the time every time you charge? (unless you added a coin cell for the DS1307) Also, have you looked into the DS3231/3232/3234? They're supposed to have better time-keeping than the DS1307, and Maxim-IC provides free samples for those. Only problem is they're 8-pin SOIC.

[rj44319]

Dos this work with the watch? What changes to the code would need to happen for this? http://www.sparkfun.com/commerce/product_info.php?products_id=99

[rerat]

You're adding an extra "i" to Arduino...great project though.

[gizmology]

Yeah, that's the first thing I noticed too -- you say "ar-dreen-yo", when the spelling would seem to dictate "ar-deen-o". I love the watch idea and it was definitely a funny and entertaining video, but hard to concentrate on it when the mispronunciation was so distracting. Maybe you could change the spelling if you really want to say it that way. Then you wouldn't have to change the video.

[Matthew Garten]

Since there has been a couple comments I'll reference the officially pronunciation for Arduino http://arduino.cc/en/uploads/Main/Arduino_Duemilanove.wav (this is for pronouncing Arduino Duemilanove not just Arduino) Other audio formats can be found at the bottom of this page http://arduino.cc/en/Main/ArduinoBoardDuemilanove Now my Italian isn't the best so I can't do the R rolling like it should, so this was my best go at it :-)